ABSTRACT
This chapter explores how older Korean women living in New Zealand perceive beauty and the motivations behind their engagement in anti-ageing and beauty practices. Thematic analysis of 31 semi-structured individual interviews identifies four themes: connecting youthfulness, slimness, and a healthy appearance with feminine attractiveness; adopting a natural look as the new beauty norm; pursuing a balanced and appropriate appearance within two communities; and projecting a beautiful mind and dying well through the engagement of beauty practices. This chapter discusses the varieties and possibilities of beauty in later life and motivations for the use of beauty and anti-ageing practices that challenge the notion that women engage in such practices to showcase feminine attractiveness and cover signs of ageing. It concludes by discussing the implications of women’s continued engagement of beauty practices in their later lives.
